National Library of Medicine, Office of Acquisitions Management, Building 38A, Room B1N17, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894

R -- PROFESSIONAL BIOMEDICAL IMAGING ILLUSTRATION SERVICES SOL NLM 97-068/VMS POC Valerie M. Syed, Contract Specialist, (301) 496-6546 It is the intent of the National Library of Medicine to negotiate e on a sole source basis with The Department of Art as Applied to Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Suite 125, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, under authority of FAR 6.302 to provide approximately 1,496 hours of on-site biomedical imaging illustration services for the period of July 3, 1997 through May 31, 1998. Due to the national implications of NLM's biomedical programs, both in terms of medical information and high performance computing and communications, these services must be provided by a medical university with an accredited post graduate medical illustration program that is nationally recognized as being in the forefront of medical illustration research and education. The university's illustrator(s) must be specifically trained in the acquisition of medical data and information, the evaluation and translation of that data and information into a visual presentation of the physical conditions indicated by the data, and the use of computer graphic systems to store, retrieve, and manipulate digitally-stored biomedical imagery. Because it is anticipated that the university's on-site illustrator(s) will meet regularly with the faculty, students and other technical personnel of the medical school's medical illustration department to fulfill the requirements of the statement of work, the institution must be within commuting distance of the NLM. Johns Hopkins University's Department of Art as Applied to Medicine is one of only five nationally recognized, accredited post graduate medical illustration programs in the United States and is the only one within an hour's drive of the NLM. The professional biomedical imaging illustration services are required to: 1) Research the various modalities of biomedical images (e.g., CT & MRI Scans, X-Ray, and cryogenic slices) and investigate tools available for display, manipulation and measurement of these images; 2) Investigate construction of 3D models within the computer environment, comparing software available for use in 3D construction, and recommending possible modifications to better utilize available data; 3) Actively participate in the development of software modifications, including the writing of programs and the designing of graphical user interfaces; 4) Assess the current means of distributing large visual information files over a computer network and make recommendations to facilitate the rapid and successful transfer of such files; 5) Study various means of storing, distributing, displaying and utilizing biomedical images (e.g., CD-ROM, CDI, Interactive Videodisc) and make specific recommendations regarding the potential platforms to be used in distributing image data; 6) Conduct seminars and workshops for NLM employees to exchange information about the visualization development activities; 7) Conduct training for selected NLM employees on the visualization and 3D graphics hardware, software and algorithms reviewed during this investigation; and 8) Develop instructional materials using the biomedical images and techniques resulting from the prototyping of imaging applications completed during this contract. Schools of medicine must be able to provide support for all the above listed items and meet all requirements in order to be considered. Schools of medicine may identify in writing their interest and capability in response to this requirement or submit a proposal. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However all responses received no later than the closing date of this announcement will be considered by the government. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No solicitation document exists, therefore an analysis will be made on the basis of information received in response to this notice. Responses are required within fifteen (15) calendar days from the publication date of this notice to The National Library of Medicine, Office of Acquisitions Management, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bldg. 38A, Room B1N17, Bethesda, MD 20894, Attention: Valerie M. Syed. (0164)

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